Alonzo l



Patented July 5, 1881.

(No Model.)

A. L; SWEET.

FIRE ARM.

w4 Prrsns, vhomumegmghef, wmingfen, n. 1V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO L. SWEET, OF NORWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BACON ARMSCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 243,993, dated July 5,1881..

Application led April 19, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO L. SWEET, of Norwich, in the county of NewLondon and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Revolving Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction of lire-arms,and more espe cially to that of revolving pistols.

The invention has more particular reference to the construction andattachment of the locking plate which closes the opening in the side ofthe pistol, by which access is gained to the parts which would beotherwise concealed. These plates have been madein various shapes,

one form being a round plate having a central opening, through which thescrewpivot for the 4hammer was passed, and which was held firmly inposition flush with the side of the arm by tightening the screw inbringing the parts into place.

In a patent granted to Wm. H. Bliss, April 23, 1878, was shown acircular locking-plate for pistols differing from vthe form justmentioned in having the screw-bolt or pivot permanently attached to itscenter, and having an outside slot or perforation for the screwdriver,forming, practically, a screw with an enlarged flat head. Both thesedevices are open to serious objections. In either case the removal ofthe platel for the inspection of the parts is impossible without irst orsimultaneously removing the pivot-bolt which holds the hammer inposition, and the removal of this pivot both permits the hammer to dropfrom its position relative to the other parts and causes someunavoidable trouble in its accurate readjustment. Further, thepivot-bolt by constant wear in its end bearings becomes loose and shakyand impairs the accuracy of the hammer and the force of the blow.

My invention consists, first, in an improved construction by which thelocking-plate may be removed without detaching the pivot-bolt, and thuscomplete access to the interior of the pistol given without in any wayaltering or affecting the position of the other parts; and,

further, in providing a bearing for the pivotbolt, which may betightened, and prevents 5o such bolt from wearing at the ends.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, `in whichFigure l is a side view with the plate removed. Fig.2 isa crosssectiontaken centrally through the pivot-bolt circular opening, c, the centerof which is opposite the head of the bolt D, and this bolt projectsoutwardly into the opening a distance about equal to half the` thicknessof the side plate. The edge of the plate B, where cut away to form theopening, is tapped with a 7o screw-thread.

The locking-plate is represented by E and separately in Fig. 3. It is aiat circular metallic plate of the same thickness as the side plates,and its edge is provided with a thread corresponding to that in the sideplate. On the inner side of the plate E is a circular re cess, 2, and onthe outside there may be a slot, 3, which may or may not extend entirelythrough the thickness of the metal of which 8o the plate is composed.

AIn constructing this pistol the screw-bolt is first passedthrough thehammer into the plate B and tightened up. The locking-plate is theninserted into the opening c and tightened by screwing down. When theplate is tightened the projecting end of the boltD enters the recess 2and bears firmly upon the circumference of such recess, and it isevident that while the said recess provides a rm hearing 9o for thebolt-head the complete removal of the plate E does not change theposition of the parts. It is also evident that any looseness or shakingin the bolt can be corrected by screwing down the plates and tighteningthe end bearin gs.

This hammer is mounted on a 6o forming the pivot for the hammer, thesitle`^-^ I plate, B, and the locking-plate E, havin g screw- 15threaded periphery to engage'with a circular screw-threaded opening inside plate, B, the said 1ocking-plate being provided with a recess, 2,to receive the end of the bolt D.

In testimony whereof I have signed my zo name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO L. SWEET.

Witnesses:

S. B. MEECH, NoRRIs G. LIPPITT.

